In the home stretch.

Well here we are in the last few days before the Durham Wargames Group Open Day  next Saturday. The last few figures need to be finished but all the clever stuff has been done and the scenario is almost devised. Needless to say silly phrases(in the context of a show demo game) like "quick and easy" and "fun to play(especially if you have the mental capacity of a backward haddock)" are not a major part of the lexicon here. Having said that however Tony Clipsom's set Foray are not exactly mentally stretching either, they are simple  enough but do have a good bit of flavour, repay period tactics and yet despite all of that should qualify to be "fun"  without that dreaded epithet meaning  "intellectually vacant" as so often seems to be the case these days.
 Now some of you may feel that I'm attaching and unwonted importance to the Durham Wargames Group Open Day . After all it is a pretty small show as shows go and I'm not even *officially" trading there.

Banners and Standards. All of these will appear in the game. Most are hand painted except the 2 superb cloth printed one by John Hutchinson.  Standard bearers are mostly conversions  from basic figures requiring head and arm swaps.

 There are two sets of reasons for this
 Group  1/.
 It is a fun  show which I and the rest of the T.W.A,T.S enjoy.
We have been invited to do games there for around 10 years or a bit less now so always try to  put on a decent effort. See previous post. The D.W.G. always make us feel welcome.
 It is the only show we do as a group.
 (Though we did once put on a Naval game at the Border Reivers  show at very short notice. I'm still unsure if any of the current "committee" noticed)
 For those of our group who work the Old Glory stand it is a sort of pressure off "busmans holiday" where we can wear our punters hats for a day.

The wagon is a Doug Miller piece and is a bugger to put together. The 3 Courrour cavalry are by Irregular and are rather nice. 

Group 2/.
It is quite possible that Durham Wargames Group Open Day will be the ONLY event  I do in the North-East this year.
I am no longer the sponsor of the Border Reivers event.  Earlier this year I received a somewhat brusque letter from the new committee telling me they had "terminated the relationship".This has been on the cards for a while but the letter was still an unpleasant surprise as my efforts to talk to them(at the Derby show and others) had met with stonewalling despite their accusation that I no longer gave  any input .... Hmmm still trying to work that one out. .
 However I don't mind the fact of no longer being the sponsor  that is their decision,though the matter could have been handled better
 So far this year I have not received an invitation to the event and I have NEVER in 26 years gone to any show I don't receive and invitation to- in other words I don't ask to be invited , never have never will. It is not  appropriate.
Now if they choose not to invite me fine- they tell me in said letter I can have a free stand- if the show goes ahead- for "past services"  However last year was hardly worth getting a van for even as sponsor so if I am invited I will have to take a view on it but if I'm not well that's £250.00  Van Hire Diesel and crew wages I don't have to shell out. So either way I shan't lose any sleep.

Close up of one of the Irregular cavalry figures. Whilst a bit rough in the casting they do repay careful painting . This particular figure comes with some head variation and is very useful indeed. So much so I've ordered some more to be collected at the show. 

Now none of this matters in the bigger picture of our hobby except to say that I'll continue to go to the Durham Wagames Group Open Day as long as the continue to invite us.
 If it is the only show we do in the North East that's fine too. We will still enjoy it.
 Maybe the rest are not worth the effort.

Blue Pigs on my Fingers !!

 Having to put the various badges on the liveried retainers has made me realise why I hate decals!
 Now of the contingents I've chosen for this game 4 of the 6 I happen to have decals for which I aquired when I  bought up the Brooks Miniatures 40mm Wars of the Roses range so I have
 Ragged staffs for Warwick
 Red Griffins for Clifford
 White Lions for Mowbray
 and
 Blue Boars for Oxford-
 What a bloody fiddle and faff to get them in the right place in the right order. The dammed things stick to everything - especially fingers-  but the place you want 'em. But it is done- all but 4 blue pigs for Oxford- how many of them will end up on my fingers.....again.
 Still it will be worth it. Looking forward to seeing this lot all laid out  on the 10 feet by 6 table on Saturday.
 Come along and see us- and the other games etc at the Durham Wargames Group Open day Vane tempest Gilesgate Durham.
 It will be a good day.